The International Cricket Council on Tuesday barred transgender women from competing against biological females, the sport’s governing body said.
The organization said the “new gender eligibility regulation” was put into place to protect the integrity of women’s cricket and was established in the name of safety.
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Cricket balls and a bat are seen on the ground before the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between New Zealand and South Africa in Pune, India, Nov.1, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)
“Male-to-female participants who have undergone male puberty will not be eligible to compete in the international women’s game,” the ICC said.
The organization added the rules would apply “irrespective of any surgical or gender reassignment treatment” a player may have taken.
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“The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science, aligning with the core principles developed during the review,” ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement.
“Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players.”
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The trophy for the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup Final at JB Marks Oval on Jan. 28, 2023, in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
The ICC’s new regulations come after World Athletics tightened rules for transgender women, excluding those athletes who have been through male puberty from competing against biological women. The international governing body for track and field and other running-related athletic events made the decisions in March.
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The ICC said the rules would be revisited in two years to “align with the sport’s evolving landscape.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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